Bridgetown, Barbados, August 27, 2026, The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has launched a Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility (CRRF) Recovery Experts Roster, a regional pool of technical professionals designed to strengthen the capacity of Participating States to manage and implement post-disaster recovery.
The first orientation, conducted on August 26, welcomed 14 experts and forms part of the operationalisation of the Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility (CRRF), a multi-stakeholder initiative spearheaded by CDEMA and its development partners to bridge the gap between response and early recovery and accelerate post-disaster recovery.
The Recovery Experts Roster also seeks to provide surge support to countries following disasters in areas of expertise including engineering, education, social work, psychology, business development, information technology and healthcare.
In his opening remarks, CDEMA’s Deputy Executive Director Lt. Col. Kester Craig emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening recovery capacity.
“No single country in our region has all the resources needed to respond to and effectively recover from major disaster impacts,” said Lt. Col. Craig.
He added that the roster will enable CDEMA to match the right expertise to the specific recovery needs of affected countries, ensuring that recovery efforts are coordinated, inclusive and responsive.
The orientation was facilitated by CDEMA’s Disaster Recovery Specialist, Jason Francis and CRRF Research Intern Natalia Extavour, who familiarised the experts with the CRRF operational framework, their roles and responsibilities, and CDEMA’s deployment protocols and standards for humanitarian support.
Francis described the first cohort as an important step in building the regional recovery facility and thanked the experts for their commitment to regional resilience.
“This is the first cohort of experts to join the roster, and we look forward to utilising your skills and expertise as we continue to build out the regional recovery facility,” he said.
The establishment of the Recovery Experts Roster reinforces CDEMA’s commitment to pooling regional resources, strengthening national recovery capacity and advancing resilient recovery across the Caribbean.
For further information, please contact:
Keith A N Goddard
Communications and Public Relations Specialist
CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Suite #3, Building #1, Manor Lodge Complex, Lodge Hill, St. Michael Barbados
Email:
Cell: (246) 266-1976 Fax: (246) 271-3660